Backdraft Cobra AUS - The search for reliability

[spookypt]

Something of interest came about last night worth reporting. Those pesky hydraulic rollers that failed. For those that know the cam follower has a roller that runs around the cam lobe and his an internal needle bearing assembly. When they fail the needle collapse, go everywhere cause damage etc etc.

Well something new....now you can get these cam followers with rollers that no longer have the needle bearings and instead have a bush. Which means should you find some excessive play when doing a valve lash (issue) you can actually pull the manifold and follower, replace the bush in the existing follower and happy days!!!

Best thing since sliced bread. They will be going in my engine for sure!

[deano59]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Something of interest came about last night worth reporting. Those pesky hydraulic rollers that failed. For those that know the cam follower has a roller that runs around the cam lobe and his an internal needle bearing assembly. When they fail the needle collapse, go everywhere cause damage etc etc.

Well something new....now you can get these cam followers with rollers that no longer have the needle bearings and instead have a bush. Which means should you find some excessive play when doing a valve lash (issue) you can actually pull the manifold and follower, replace the bush in the existing follower and happy days!!!

Best thing since sliced bread. They will be going in my engine for sure!

i saw a set of these bushers the other day and thought what a killer idea when the time comes for a cam change on my l98 it's something i def will be adding . i believe some engine machine shops have been turning these up as well in there own little engine building tricks ..

[Gav]

Originally Posted by deano59

i saw a set of these bushers the other day and thought what a killer idea when the time comes for a cam change on my l98 it's something i def will be adding . i believe some engine machine shops have been turning these up as well in there own little engine building tricks ..

You might want to re think that one Dean, you will have to pull the heads every time you need to change bushes.

[deano59]

Originally Posted by Gav

You might want to re think that one Dean, you will have to pull the heads every time you need to change bushes.

i think the longevity will be fine esp in a engine thats not a everyday driver or likely to be tracked .need to pull the heads to get to lifters anytime . i will talk to my engine man and ask his opinion on them i seem to recall that he had be doing this mod for yrs ..all taken onboard gav

cheers dean

[kyleb]

Originally Posted by Gav

You might want to re think that one Dean, you will have to pull the heads every time you need to change bushes.

Not necessarily..
I was doing a cam change on my LS. Had spun the old cam to push the lifters into the pockets and then very carefully removed the old cam to then insert new cam, and then.... Thunk !! A lifter drops into the sump.
Apparently a heap of pen magnets and clothes pegs holding the lifters is the way to go.. Too late
I stepped back, had a bit of a think about it and decided to have a crack at re-inserting the lifter through the valley slots.
Made up holder for the lifter from a coat hanger and proceeded to fart around with the holder until the angles were right, then with the help of a pen magnet through the lifter bore managed to re-insert the lifter into the bore..
Should have been a proctologist Come to think of it... No.
Anyways... I doubt you can do it with all of he lifters but at least you can access some without removing the heads if need be.

[Tenrocca]

Originally Posted by kyleb

Not necessarily..
I was doing a cam change on my LS. Had spun the old cam to push the lifters into the pockets and then very carefully removed the old cam to then insert new cam, and then.... Thunk !! A lifter drops into the sump.

This is commonly known as the "Russian Roulette" method. Good job to get it back in though.

Easiest method is to lube up a length of 9.5mm dowel and shove in the hole that runs beside the lifters and it jams them in place.

[Modena]

Originally Posted by kyleb

Not necessarily..
I was doing a cam change on my LS. Had spun the old cam to push the lifters into the pockets and then very carefully removed the old cam to then insert new cam, and then.... Thunk !! A lifter drops into the sump.
Apparently a heap of pen magnets and clothes pegs holding the lifters is the way to go.. Too late
I stepped back, had a bit of a think about it and decided to have a crack at re-inserting the lifter through the valley slots.
Made up holder for the lifter from a coat hanger and proceeded to fart around with the holder until the angles were right, then with the help of a pen magnet through the lifter bore managed to re-insert the lifter into the bore..
Should have been a proctologist Come to think of it... No.
Anyways... I doubt you can do it with all of he lifters but at least you can access some without removing the heads if need be.

Good job on rescuing that one! Yes I saw years ago a cam swap tutorial without head removal, step 1; buy 16 pen magnets and grab 16 clothes pegs!